Projectiles for use in applications ranging from small arms to large artillery have been designed so as to maximize the projectile's stopping-power, penetration, and/or explosive capability. Projectiles are commonly fashioned to be able to kill or disable a target within a relatively short period after impact. Further, projectiles are sometimes designed with penetration in mind so as to be capable of going through an object in order to strike something on the other side of the object. Additionally, some projectiles may incorporate explosives that detonate on impact or as some other desired time so as to damage or completely disable a target.
Projectiles may be designed in a number of ways. For instance, some conventional bullets have been designed so that the bullet will mushroom to transfer more energy into the target by presenting a surface of substantial area perpendicular to the course of travel of the bullet. Additionally or alternatively, conventional bullets have been designed so that the bullet will fragment. Doing so will lessen the total energy of the bullet during the fragmentation process and then distribute energy amongst many smaller fragments that have proportionately less inertia and move in various directions away from the original bullet course.
Larger artillery projectiles have been designed so as to incorporate an explosive charge that detonates in the vicinity of, or upon impact with, the target to provide enhanced initial shock upon explosion and, in some cases, multiple penetrations of the target by free release or directed fragmentation of the projectile's casing. Projectiles configured with a main explosive charge composed of TNT, Comp-B, Octol, C-4, Tetryl, or other material known in the art are generally designed so as to employ a fusing mechanism that includes a secondary charge of explosive, commonly of RDX, PETN, TNT, black powder, or other energetic material known in the art that is detonated by a primer upon impact of the projectile with the target, or by a mechanical time delay, a pyrotechnic delay, or a proximity sensing fuse or other system known in the art when the projectile is in the vicinity of a target.
Other designs of projectiles are in existence. For example, one design employs a projectile with one or more rods. The projectile is designed so as to penetrate the target and then begin fragmenting to allow the rods to continue along the delivery path to further penetrate and disrupt the target.
Although various designs of projectiles exist, prior projectiles have not been capable of producing a self-propagating, high temperature reaction to render terminal effects or thermal impact to a target.